I am very glad that this work is dedicated to Gothic Architecture. However strange it may sound; I am passionate about Gothic art since childhood. I grew up in Riga, on the shore of the Baltic Sea, in the atmosphere of mysterious charm of the ancient city where every street, building and numerous churches and cathedrals preserved the memory of a dark and magical world of the Middle Ages. My mother worked as a tour guide with the groups from all over the world. She used to take me on her excursions in the old part of a town. It was an unforgettable experience of my life. Sometimes, I just close my eyes and see myself, a seven-year boy, standing in a large group of tourists and listening to my mother's expressive voice, “the walls of old buildings just seem indifferent and silent. Each stone has a soul and memory. Just take a look at these ancient walls, touch them, and lend your ear to their amazing stories of the miracle of bygone days.” The medieval architecture has had a place in my heart ever since. At the beginning of its appearance, architecture was not yet a “frozen music” , as defined it much later Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. The origins of architecture dates back a few thousand years, when people began to build their first dwellings. It was necessary for protection the inhabitants from bad weather, wild animals, and enemies. Respectively, a top priority was not aesthetics of a building, but its safety. In this regard, I would like to recall the work by Marcus Vitruvius, the famous Ancient Roman architect, “Ten Books on Architecture”, written in approximately 20-30 BC. Vitruvius believed that an architect should focus on three central themes when preparing a design for a building: firmitas (strength), utilitas (f... ... middle of paper ... ...rg/usa/jhhopkins/gothic1836/ Web 16 Nov 2013 Levin, David. Sacred Architecture. Posted 10.21.10. NOVA. http://www.bl.uk/learning/artimages/bodies/vitruvius/proportion.html 10 Nov 2013 http://www.ergoarchitecture.com/quotations/ Web 16 Nov 2013 http://www.exploring-castles.com/characteristics_of_gothic_architecture.html Web 16 Nov 2013 http://www.goodreads.com/quotes/337462-music-is-liquid-architecture-architecture-is-frozen-music Web 05 Nov 2013 http://history-world.org/gothic_art_and_architecture.htm Web 16 Nov 2013 http://www.kuriositas.com/2012/01/cat-house-of-riga-f-you-feline-feud.html Web 10 Nov 2013 http://mediaevalmusings.wordpress.com/2012/10/03/light-upon-light-abbot-suger-and-the-invention-of-gothic/ Web 17 Nov 2013 http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/ancient/cathedral-architecture-au.html Web 16 2013 http://www.touropia.com/gothic-cathedrals/ Web 16 Nov 2013
Taller than the ancient pyramids in Egypt, large enough to hold the statue of liberty. 100 pounds of weightless stones, heavy enough to hold the Empire state building are the Great Cathedrals (PBS, 2011). Intrigued by the beauty in structure but puzzled by the very construction, without technology for building purposes has researchers mind wondering. In reference to the NOVA program, building of Gothic cathedral begin as a race of height, which over time this plan backfired because of the recent architectural discoveries in the foundation. The NOVA program pointed out that in this race of constructing the tallest building wasn’t the only concern between two rivalry cities in Europe; it purpose was recognized as a scared space for spiritual reasoning to bring ordinary someone closer to God (PBS, 2011).
During the early middle ages, the Roman Empire began to decline. Rude people known as the Germanic Barbarians begun to migrate into Europe. As a result, three different cultures fused together marking the beginning of the dark ages. With the fusion of Christianity, Greco-Roman heritage and the cultures of the Barbarians, the visual arts of the Early Middle Ages changed for a long time. A major change influenced by the German’s was in architecture. Barbarian’s brought upon the European’s the use of stone causing Europea...
This work is typical for this era because the architectural style Gothic is known for its height being tall and made from stone and tall flying buttress...
You may think today “Hey, I totally wonder sometimes what the Middle Ages Churches and Gothic Medieval Cathedrals where like. What were they important for? Were they Churches like the ones today? How long did it take to build? “ Well that may be SOME of the questions you may have but you may have more. In this essay you're about to find out why the Medieval Gothic Cathedrals were so important for, and how much rule and and wide range of power they had over the people in the Middle Ages, and last but NOT least, the creative sublime (I’ll delete this comment later on if you see this but “sublime” is my own words not internet word) of the Gothic style windows of the Cathedral. First, the one I like most, the Gothic stain glass windows of the Gothic Cathedral. Stained glass is argued to an opinion or belief, one of the most important aspects of Gothic cathedrals. As its popularity rose, mainly during the mid 12th century, the increased existence of stained glass presented large changes to the way the general residents were learning about the religion. The windows became illuminated optic (“Optic” is my own wording) talk of biblical stories, which may have had an even greater impact than the spoken word of the priest. In this research paper, I will be primarily focusing on the stained glass windows and architectural styles employed in five Gothic buildings in France, each having their own unique and worthy attention and characteristics to the development of stained glass windows. By looking at the architectural improvements shown in these structures built during the Gothic time frame, we are able to see the impact all over the place to itch for increase...
Architecture is one important aspect of Byzantine culture. One of the most famous Byzantine architectural achievements is the Hagia Sophia, which is located in modern-day Istanbul. The basic design of the cathedral has a dome over a square base, which required a new innovation. At the time, it was kn...
Interested in the inspiration that informed Louis Sullivan’s infamous ornamentation, this discussion explores Sullivan’s correlation between society and architecture in his work. Through the use of ornamentation Sullivan works to achieve organic architecture aspiring from the relationship between man and nature.
The Gothic style evolved from that of Romanesque, building on concepts and ideas that led to the creation of larger and grander structures. Today, mankind looks in awe at the structures that were built hundreds of years ago without the assistance of modern technology and equipment. These architectural styles are indisputably different, but equally profound. They made use of differing techniques to become tangible structures that can still be seen
With the Pantheon being built over 1700 years ago, it’s amazing that architects are still using features and techniques from this work of architecture in modern creations. The use of this type of classical architecture will continue to be used in works for public space due to its remarkable exterior appearance and it’s long lasting structural durability. When both Jesse hall and the Pantheon are compared it is possible to see their similarities from the types of domes that top each, their external facades, and their interior plan. While they share many similarities, the differences that Bell and Binder used in their creation make this work of architecture unique to many other public spaces.
Print. The. Mike. The Evolution of Gothic Architecture. Aquinas Multimedia.
Architecture is such a wide thing when we talk about buildings and projects. Architecture is defined as the art or practice of designing and constructing buildings. One of the Renaissance man who not only define...
To understand the role of place in architecture, the author compares architecture to language. Language has patterns and arrangements, architecture relates directly to what humans do. It changes or evolves as
From the time of the ancient Greeks all the way to modern day, some part of humanity has almost always been interested in the past. For the ancient Greeks, it was discovering Mycenaean ruins and composing stories about them. Today, inspiration is still drawn from classical architecture. One has to look no further than the U.S. capitol building, or even the University of Michigan's Angell Hall to see remnants of this architectural style. This raises the question of why does it still persists? Logically, the best way to answer this is to examine the origins of classical architecture, and what it represented then and now. Furthermore, the study of ancient architecture can show insights into past civilizations which otherwise would have been lost.
Jencks believes “the glass-and-steel box has become the single most used form in Modern Architecture and it signifies throughout the world ‘office building’” (27). Thus, modern architecture is univalent in terms of form, in other words it is designed around one out of a few basic values using a limited number of materials and right angles. In...
The branches of architecture are civil, sacred, naval, military, and landscape architecture. The history of architecture traces the changes in architecture through various traditions, regions, overarching stylistic trends, and dates. Architecture is a form of art as well as a science. It is an art because it is a way to express your creativity. With architecture being a form of art it is an outlet for creativity and a way to express your views on society. There is one architect per 2,000 head of population. However, only 20% of buildings are actually built by architects. This means we are in need of more architects!
In Laugier’s book, “An Essay on Architecture,” he addresses early architects’ ignorance. Laugier explains how architects did not study nature and the set rules nature has already created for us. In his Essay, he reveals the flaws that many early buildings throughout Europe posses. Some of the more general flaws he exposes are disproportioning in architectural design, unnecessary placement, and ignoring the primitive and original purpose of a building all together. Therefore, Laugier believes appropriate and appealing architecture can only be designed and crafted when the architect behind the building has followed the rules of nature.